4 killed, 25 injured in Kashmir encounter

15 April 2002The Times of IndiaAFP

SRINAGAR: Three militants and a civilian were killed, and 25 people injured during a gunbattle in Kashmir on Monday, officials said.The encounter took place in the village of Jageer, near Tral township, 42 kilometres (26 miles) south of Srinagar.A spokesman for Border Security Force (BSF) said BSF personnel, backed by counter-insurgency police, stopped a passenger bus following a tip-off.''When the passengers were asked to come out for frisking, three militants managed to run into a neighbouring house,'' the spokesman said.Reinforcements were sent in, a cordon was thrown around the house, and the militants asked to surrender, he said.''The militants ignored the repeated surrender pleas and instead opened fire,'' the spokesman said.He said security forces returned fire, killing three militants, and added that a civilian was also killed in the exchange.As security force personnel were searching the scene a grenade attached to one of the bodies exploded, injuring 20 security force personnel, including three officers, and five civilians.''Three of the injured are serious, while others have minor injuries,'' the spokesman said.The dead militants were members of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, one of two groups involved in the Parliament attack on December 13 leaving 14 people dead.Troops recovered six AK rifles from the house and the bus.